With the advent of the Internet and broadband computer networks, the options for data storage have changed. These systems enable data to be stored on a network and accessible anywhere. No longer are users limited to data stored on their local machine.
Cloud computing is a type of computing in which computing resources such as application programs and data object storage are remotely provided over the Internet. In a cloud computing system, a client program such as a web browser interfaces with and controls an application program that is running on a remote server. Through the browser, the user can create, edit, save, and delete files on the remote server via the remote application program. In particular, cloud storage allows data to be redundantly stored and shared by multiple clients. Cloud storage provides an abstraction for physical storage devices. In general, cloud storage allows users to store and access data files somewhere in “the cloud,” without knowing the details of where files are stored or having to manage physical storage devices. In cloud storage, capacity can be available on demand and files can be made available on a global basis. As the data storage requirements faced by many businesses continue to increase, cloud storage will continue to be an important aspect of computer application implementation.